Taking on New Adventures

Do you journal when you travel?

In the past, I’ve kept notes of places I’ve eaten and drank, touristy areas I’ve gone to, various landmarks I’ve visited and more. A lot of the time, those “notes” are in the form of photos or very brief entries in a Google Doc about my trip.

In 2021, my husband gave me a travel journal for Christmas. I was kind of excited. As a Gen X kid, I’m still a “writer” and love to actually write, not type, things down. To be honest, I was a little out of practice and my handwriting left a lot to be desired. But I was thrilled to be able to use my little notebook that was specifically for our trips.

I’ve been able to use the journal a lot over the past year and a half. From short overnight trips nearby to longer trips that involve several locations, I’ve kept notes of what we did, where we ate and how I was feeling on the trip. There’s even an area to enter the weather, so for many of the locations that I don’t frequent, I add those details in.

How do you journal?

For me, I try to take notes either late afternoon and then do updates the next morning so that it’s fresh. But there have been times, especially on shorter trips, that I write it all down at the end.

I don’t think there’s one way that’s better than the other but that’s what has worked for me. I carve out a few minutes late afternoon or evening to try and write down what we did prior to that. I also carve out a few minutes in the morning to fill in the blanks of the day before.

What do you add to your travel journal?

I always put in the restaurants and bars I ate and drank at, and include the locations if they are different from the area I’m staying. If a meal is great, I’ll add in what I actually ate but if it’s average, it’s just a more generic entry. For example, I had a great meal in Redondo Beach so logged what I ate. But another meal was just ok so I put in “breakfast at restaurant name” in the journal.

Another thing I like to add is the sightseeing areas we hit. From a certain beach to an area we walked to on our morning walks to the more well-known locations, I like to keep notes of these areas so that I can remember them later.

What’s my goal for travel journaling?

I want to remember my experiences. It’s really that simple. Having all of my trips in one journal helps me go back and see what I did that I liked and what I may skip on a future trip.

The journal is great, as well, for repeat trips to a location. I can look up where I’ve been before and see what I enjoyed to maybe repeat that location. Plus, I can research that area to find new places to hit and try out.

What’s next for my travel journals?

On top of keeping up with this blog, which is increasingly harder given my work and life schedule, I hope to one day turn those entries into albums that have corresponding photos.

I also hope to create a place where my recommendations are helpful to those who enjoy a travel style like mine. I’ve always said this, travel is an individual thing. What works for me and Chuck may be something you are 100% not into. And that’s ok. But I hope to pass along the things I enjoy so that I can inspire you to create a trip or experience that is uniquely yours and something you fully enjoy.

Happy Travel Journaling!